Lander's Travels eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 1,054 pages of information about Lander's Travels.

Lander's Travels eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 1,054 pages of information about Lander's Travels.
is indeed a grievance, which can ill be borne by an invalid languishing under a wasting disease, and who has equally as much need of rest and silence as of medicine.  Besides those grievances, the shouts of the people outside the yard, and the perpetual squalling of children within it, the buzzing of beetles and drones, the continual attacks of mosquitoes and innumerable flies, form a host of irritating evils, to which a sick person is exposed, and to which he is obliged patiently to submit, until by a relief from his disorder, he is obliged to stand upon his legs, and once more take his own part.  But even then noises assail his ear, and he does not enjoy the happiness of perfect silence unless he enters a grove or forest.

They were this morning, visited by a party of Fellatas of both sexes.  They differed but little either in colour or feature from the original natives of the soil.  In dress and ornaments, however, there was a slight distinction between them.  They displayed more taste in their apparel, and wore a greater number of ornaments round the neck and wrists; they paid also great attention to their hair, which the women plait with astonishing ingenuity.  Like that of the young woman, whom they met at Jenna, their heads exactly resembled a dragoon’s helmet.  Their hair was much longer of course than that of the negro, which enables the Fallatas to weave it on both sides of the head into a kind of queue, which passing over each cheek is tied under the chin.

Another company of Fellatas came to them in the evening, for they had never beheld a white man, and curiosity had led them to their habitation.  They brought with them a present of a little thick milk, of which they begged the travellers’ acceptance, and then went away highly gratified with the interview.  The behaviour of the whole of them was extremely reserved and respectful; nothing in the persons of the travellers excited their merriment, on the contrary, they seemed silently to admire their dress and complexion, and having examined them well at a distance, seemed grateful for the treat.

In the mean time, the kindness and generosity of the governor of Bohoo continued unabated; instead of diminishing, it seemed to strengthen; he literally inundated them with milk, and he was equally lavish with other things.  It gave them unmixed pleasure to meet with so much native politeness and attention from a quarter, where they the least expected it, and at a time also, when it was the most required.

After they had retired to rest, a Fellata woman came to their dwelling, bringing with her a number of eggs of the guinea-hen, and a large bowl of milk fresh from the cow, as a return for a few needles they had given her in the afternoon.  This circumstance is mentioned merely to show the difference between the Fellatas and the Youribeans, in point of gratitude for favours which they may have received.  The latter are very seldom grateful, and never acknowledge gratitude as a virtue.  The indifference, unconcern, and even contempt, which they often evinced on receiving the presents which the Landers made them, was a proof of this, and with a very few exceptions, they never observed a Youribean to be sincerely thankful for any thing.

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Lander's Travels from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.